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Valverde's funk deepens with struggles in opener

Valverde's funk deepens with struggles in opener

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Valverde on Game 1 appearance 1:16

10/24/12: Jose Valverde talks about his relief appearance against the Giants in Game 1 of the World Series

By Alden Gonzalez
/
MLB.com |

SAN FRANCISCO -- It's a reach, perhaps, but the Tigers' early deficit seemed to have a silver lining heading into Wednesday's bottom of the seventh from AT&T Park, even though they trailed the Giants by five and were six outs at the plate from dropping Game 1 of the World Series. This was their chance to finally get Jose Valverde in a game, in a nonthreatening situation that could give him something to build on, en route to becoming a useful ninth-inning weapon again.

But it only sunk him further.

And now, after giving up two runs on four hits to five batters, it's fair to ask whether Valverde will pitch in another game this season.

"You never know," Valverde said after the Tigers' eventual 8-3 loss. "You have to play 'til it's over."

Making his first appearance since unraveling in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series 11 days ago, Valverde once again struggled to miss bats and in the process made some unwanted history. He got to 3-2 on Tim Lincecum before finally striking him out, then gave up a double to Angel Pagan and a single to Marco Scutaro, both on 0-2 counts. Pablo Sandoval, who homered in his first three plate appearances, followed with a single, and so did Buster Posey, ending Valverde's night.

Postseason woes

Jose Valverde is the second player to have allowed more than one run in less than than one inning three separate times in a single postseason.

Player

Year

Times

ERA

IP

ER

Jose Valverde

2012

3

48.60

1 2/3

9

Tom Gordon

2004

3

27.00

2

6

Tim Worrell

2002

2

67.50

2/3

5

Mitch Williams

1993

2

54.00

1

6

Ben Weber

2002

2

27.00

1 1/3

4

Mike Timlin

2004

2

33.75

1 1/3

5

Barney Schultz

1964

2

54.00

1

6

Arthur Rhodes

2000

2

189.00

1/3

7

Chris Reitsma

2005

2

162.00

1/3

6

Ramon Ramirez

2010

2

54.00

2/3

4

Valverde joined Tom Gordon (2004 Yankees) as the only relievers to allow at least two runs in less than one inning three different times in the same postseason. In Game 4 of the AL Division Series, Valverde gave up three runs in a walk-off loss to the A's. In Game 1 of the ALCS, he allowed the Yankees to tie it with two two-run, ninth-inning homers.

"It's a little bit puzzling, to be honest with you. It looks like it's just not quite exploding. But that's pretty much all I can say about that."

Pitching coach Jeff Jones was pleased with Valverde, though. Jones felt the right-hander featured some good split-fingered fastballs, his velocity was better -- Valverde hit 93 mph four times and 94 twice -- and was quicker to the plate with his left leg, an adjustment Valverde had been working on.

Jones said Valverde's problems were mechanical, rather than rooted in lack of confidence.

"When you have a couple of outings like he did, you're liable to lose a little bit of confidence," Jones said. "But once we worked in the bullpen and ironed out some things, I think the lack of confidence or losing confidence was no problem."